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katerina 13
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rosemary - stem cuttings - sand - darken leaves

I take stem cuttings from rosemary. removal of the bottom sheet. I put in a sand (river). in 4-6 days began to darken the edges of the leaves. began to fall after the leaves.

What did I do wrong?
what is the right type of sand for propagation? How thick must be the sand?
Last edited by katerina 13 on Sat Oct 16, 2010 7:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.

bullthistle
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Can't say you did anything wrong but I use silt but you should have attempted this in the spring because the plant is going into its dormant period and it knows it.

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katerina 13
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I've tried twice. one in May and one in August. Both times were the same.

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Kisal
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Did you cover the cutting with clear plastic ... something like a plastic bag ... to keep the humidity high around the cutting? Without roots to bring in additional moisture, the leaves will quickly dry out if not kept in very high humidity.

Don't put the cuttings in direct sun, just give them bright light.

Rosemary also roots best if it's kept at around 65º to 70º F. You might have to provide some sort of bottom warmth.

May and June are the best times of year to propagate rosemary from cuttings.

bullthistle
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Depending on your soil this may be a better alternative then rooted cuttings. I don't have much luck with cuttings since they must be babied I'd rather Mother Nature take care of increasing my plants.

https://propagatingperennials.blogspot.com/search?q=rosemary

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katerina 13
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Yes I cover the cutting with clear plastic (a plastic box) and don't put the cuttings in direct sun but near the window. but failed.
I fear the sand retention of more water and do not not seen(understand). has drainage holes.
Last edited by katerina 13 on Sat Oct 16, 2010 10:31 am, edited 1 time in total.

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applestar
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I agree with Kisal about bottom heat. Most semi-woody cuttings do better that way. I put mine with spring seedlings (I.e. cool ambient temp and bright fluorescent lights 16 hrs on) on a heating mat (or my holiday lights rig -- can't remember which) 50/50 sand and compost-enriched soil mix. I think it was about 9 cuttings crowded in a pint sized cottage cheese-type container with holes, covered with cut-off soda bottle with cap removed. 7 of them rooted, rest got moldy. I always cut my cuttings so the portion under the soil almost touches the bottom of the container (usually 3 or 4" deep)

Oh! I think I was experimenting with dipping in raw honey as a rooting agent, and I'm pretty sure I used willow stems/leaves "tea" and chamomile tea for first watering, then occasionally with chamomile tea thereafter. Bottom heat causes the soil medium to dry out pretty rapidly so I didn't use more than filtered or rainwater very often for fear of concentrating the extras. I wish I'd remembered these tricks when I took cuttings of hot peppers a few days ago.... :roll:

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katerina 13
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the problem lies in the temperature of the sand?

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Kisal
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I think so. And with the time of year, as well. It takes longer for plants to root in the fall than in the spring and early summer.

You could try using some rooting hormone on your cuttings. Another method is to soak the tips of the cuttings in willow water overnight, before you plant them. Willow water contains a natural rooting hormone.

You can make willow water by cutting up 3 or 4 smallish willow branches (any kind of willow works) and placing them in one gallon of water. Heat the water very gently on the stove for 10 to 12 hours. Be very careful not to allow it to boil.

Since sand doesn't seem to be working for you, why not try perlite?

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katerina 13
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Maybe not blame the sand. I have seen use sand successfully why can not I? PERLITE will buy, I've heard good things about him. rooting hormone used the second time and failed too. blackened the edges of the leaves.

What are the possible causes?

1. Did a lot of moisture in the sand?
2. Does the plastic box created a lack of oxygen?
3. Is the sand are many fine and create a lack of oxygen?
4. Is the temperature?

do not know, I have no experience and want to know. I will try with perlite. But I want to accomplish and with sand as they have done and others.
Last edited by katerina 13 on Sat Oct 16, 2010 6:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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applestar
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If somebody told me a method that worked for her, I would mentally or literally make a list and do a side by side comparison with what I did to see what I might do different. If you don't share the result of the comparison with me, then I don't see how I can help you further. Good luck.

cynthia_h
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There is no guarantee, even for an experienced plant grower, that a specific method will work for a specific plant. That's why most of the plant growers use multiple cuttings at a time.

Take as many cuttings as you safely can without risking the mother plant. Label them and keep very careful records on what you do with each one.

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katerina 13
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the method I saw on the Internet. and said to me a friend.
you take stem cuttings. Remove bottom sheet. dip in hormone powder. and you put it in sand. cover the cutting with clear plastic and don't put the cuttings in direct sun.water every one-two day.
somethink like this= [The picture shows another plant, not rosemary.] [img]https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Oyjs043Crqg/SrqEZNHPn6I/AAAAAAAAGJg/a8bL2JZl87w/s400/Arborvitae+Propagation+9-2009-6.jpg[/img]
I did it twice with rosemary and blackened the edges of the leaves. and finally fell. trying to understand why? [I suspect a lot of moisture in the sand but do not know.]what is the reason that blackened the leaves? and what I did wrong? And another friend had that same problem.

Is the sand is not suitable for rosemary?

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applestar
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1) To me, those "cuttings" in the foreground look overly ambitious. I would take two, maybe even 3 cuttings from that one large one in the front. Too much foliage will lose too much moisture to transpiration, even with water conserving rosemary leaves. And the baby roots, when they start to grow, won't be able to support them. I cut off the tip 1/2 of larger leaves (I think I did this even with the rosemary). I don't remember why you don't just cut off the entire large leaves -- maybe it has to do with hormone production by the older leaves (?). These older leaves usually yellow and drop off some time during the rooting process, their work done.
2) I can't tell for sure, but these look like shallow trays. Sand combined with the shallowness suggests to me a very quickly drying medium (you DID say there are drainage holes right?) As I mentioned, I usually allow for about 3" of stem in the soil to grow roots from. This means 3" depth of growing medium (what I use, I described before). I feel 100% sand dries too quickly and is hard to keep evenly moist. Deeper growing medium means there is a gradual range of moisture levels, and hopefully, the cuttings will root at their preferred level.
4) Leaves should be completely removed from portion that is below and immediately above soil (cut or pinch off not pull off which can strip too much bark/outer layer) Contact with moist growing medium will encourage those leaves to rot.
5) There should be a leaf node at the very bottom of the cutting (I.e. cut just below a leaf node). I also like taking hammer-shaped cuttings with attached whole main stem or a cutting with part of main stem attachment shaved off (for which there is a name but I'm drawing a blank -- ah! I believe they're called "heels"). As much as possible, I like to have two nodes below ground to ensure root growing points, especially with cuttings that don't (easily) produce roots along the stem.
6) Ideally, the leaves should not be touching the humidity cover. Condensation will form inside and can cause the leaves to mold/rot. When using plastic bags, I recycle disposable take-out Asian food chopsticks. Wire coat hangers could be fashioned into hoops. Humidity covers should have ventilation holes.

p.s. Personally, I don't like Perlite as a growing medium. They almost always very quickly grow green algae on them and while I can't say for sure, in my experience, the algae seem to be detrimental to new growth -- seedlings or newly rooted cuttings.

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katerina 13
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[img]https://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Oyjs043Crqg/S-NArqqYdnI/AAAAAAAAIPA/paorPrn9lX4/s400/Propagating+Rosemary+in+water+5-2010-2.jpg[/img]
the cuttings were length 10cm. leaves in 1 / 3 Upper.
the sand watered every 1-2 days. and the sand was not shallow .It was within 12cm depth in a transparent plastic cup.
whenever I do not think there is a problem to lose moisture from their leaves, nor to dry sand. the leaves not touching the humidity cover.
what you have written I find it very useful.
perlite if not then what?

[img]https://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/rosemary-herb.jpg[/img]



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